Pegasus Agritech - Hydroponics
Strictly speaking, ‘Hydroponics’ is the science of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions where the plants are grown either directly in the solution or in an inert growing medium without using soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, biochar, mineral wool, expanded clay pebbles or coconut husk. Hydroponics means providing plants with optimum conditions to thrive, taking into account light, environment, nutrients, irrigation techniques, pest control and every aspect of plant growth. It is an endlessly fascinating subject that involves both science and skill and a subject that isn’t just a hobby for many, but a way of life.
"Hydroponic" is a very general term used to describe the growing of plants without soil. "Hydroponic growing" simply means soil-less growing. Since the prefix "hydro" means "water," many people think that hydroponic growing refers to growing that takes place in nothing but water. For the vast majority of hydroponically grown foods, however, water-only growing is not the case. Instead, hydroponically grown plants are raised in a variety of different media that substitute for soil. These media include sand, gravel, wood shavings, and vermiculite. Once the roots of the plants have been anchored in the soil substitute, they can be submerged in water that contains a carefully-blended set of nutrients matched to the needs of the plants. Plants grown hydroponically are typically raised in greenhouses, and the containers and equipment used to house and cultivate the plants have been made especially for that purpose. There are tens of thousands of acres of hydroponic production facilities in Israel, Holland, Australia, NewZealand, and England. Hydroponics is about the complete life cycle of plants from germination to harvest, and how to ensure plants reach their maximum potential. Getting started with hydroponics can be as straightforward or as involved as you choose. Considerations of space and budget will probably be the determining factors when you make your first steps into the world of hydroponics. But even if you have a large area to devote to your new hydroponics project and unlimited funds, the best introduction is probably to stick to soil mixes until you get the hang of dealing with grow lights and environmental control. |
The key with indoor growing is to replicate nature artificially, so the key areas to concentrate on as a novice are grow lights and air exchange. Grow lights replicate the natural light of the sun and ventilation set-ups remove stale air and introduce fresh air. The most effective horticultural lighting is from High Intensity Discharge (HID) systems, but you may choose to opt for the simplicity of a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) to get started. Once you have chosen your grow light, organise a ventilation system involving an extraction fan to remove stale air from the growing area, and preferably an intake fan to bring fresh air in. Once those two basics are sorted, you are ready to introduce plants to the grow room and get started with hydroponics!
Hydroponics works so well, because when you give a plant exactly what it need, when it need, in the amount that it need, the plant will be as healthy as is genetically possible. With hydroponics this is an easy task; in soil it is far more difficult. If you grow two genetically identical plants using soil for one and hydroponics for the other, you will almost immediately see the difference this factor makes. Faster, better growth and much greater yields are just some of the many reasons that hydroponics is being adapted around the world for commercial food production. Hydroponics can be as incredibly simple as growing a single plant in a hand watered bucket or nursery pot, using any number of inert growing mediums. No automation, electricity or grow lights required. With hydroponics the plants are grown in an inert growing medium and a perfectly balanced, pH adjusted nutrient solution is delivered to the roots in a highly soluble form. This allows the plant to uptake its food with very little effort as opposed to soil where the roots must search out the nutrients and extract them. |